Paper clip



July 22, 1952 J. w. UGHES 2,603,845

PAPER CLIP Filed April 6, 1951 INVENTOR Jo'l-m H UGHE BY ii -mm v um ATTORNEYS Patented July 22, 1952 NIITEDISTATE John W. Hughes, Chatharn,N Application April 6, 1951, Serial lt -219,501],

Thisinventionrelates topaper clips and more particularly to a clip for-holding a corner of a sheaf of paper sheets infolded condition to secure thesheets together. I

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improvedpaper clip which can be folded into a sheaf of paper, sheets at one corner of the sheaf and engaged with the sheets to hold them in folded condition and superposed relationship; which engages the paper sheets in a manner such that the clip will not be accidentally displaced from the paper and the paper sheets cannot be pulled out of the clip; which is completely preformed and does-not have to be bent into en-v gagement withthe-paper; and which is simple and durable in construction; economical to manufacture of :readily available sheet or strip material, is easy to apply and is neat and attractive in appearance."

Other objects and advantages ,will ,become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunc tion with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a paper clip illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1, but showing the opposite side of the clip from that illustrated in Figure l; and

Figures 3 to 8 inclusive are diagrammatic views illustrating successive steps in applying the clip to a sheaf of stationery paper.

With continuedreference to the drawing, the paper clip is formed from a length of strip or sheet material of a readilybendable but stiff material, such as sheet iron or a suitable metal alloy. The clip may also be formed of a material, such as a synthetic resin plastic, which may be bent to form while in a somewhat plastic or unpolymerized condition and then cured or polymerized to permanently maintain its form.

While the clip may be provided in different sizes, it has been found that a clip approximately one and one quarter inches long and one quarter of an inch wide provides satisfactory results in securing sheets of stationery paper, either letter or legal size sheets, together.

The clip, as particularly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, comprises an intermediate portion having substantially straight and parallel side edges and end portions I l and I2 joined to the intermediate portion at the respectively opposite ends of the latter. These end portions are superposed on the same side of the intermediate portion I0 and are joined to the intermediate portion along fold lines, as indicated at l3 and I4,

which are inclined in respectively oppo's'ite'dire'ctions relative to the straight, longitudinal edges, of the intermediate portion at an angle of approximately 45degrees. Theend portion I2 is triangular in shape and has a length along its edge extending longitudinally of the intermediate portion substantially equal to,t he width of the strip. The end portion ll has alength approximately. equal to; one half the length ofthe intermediate portion 10' and has: itsfdistal-end disposed at an angle of approiiimately' 45 degrees 'to its longitudinal edges H In order to apply the clip, as generally indicated at I5 in Figures 3 to 8 inclusive, to a sheaf [6 of stationery paper and constituting a plurality of sheets of correspondence or legal paper, the clipis placed against the top sheet of the sheaf l6 near one cornen' preferably the upper lefthand corner, of the sheaf, with the short end portion [2 of the clip against' thei'outer surface of the'itop sheet of the-sheaf f p'ap'e'r; The corner of th'esheaf is then foldedover the adjacent end of the clip to rovide a firstfdldlFFhaving a1 width substantially equal to the width of the, 2:; clip. The corner portion ofthesheathtogether with the clip l5'is'then' rolled ahalf turnto'provide asec'ond fold lawman extends diagonally across the corner 'of 'the'sheaf of paperswith its outer edge'incline'd 'at-an' angle-of approximately- 45' degrees to the corresponding edges of the sheaf. The end'ofthe clip on which the end member I2 'is providedis now enclosedin the rolled corner of the sheaf and between the'first fold I! and the second fold l8 with'the-end portion exposedatone end of the second fold and the end portion at the side of the clip remote from the sheaf of papers. the clip and the paper folds at the conclusion of the step providing the second fold I8 is particularly illustrated in Figure 4.

The corner portion of the sheaf together with the clip [5 is now rolled through a further half turn providing a third fold l9, as illustrated in Figure 5. When this third fold is completed the distal end of the end portion ll of the clip will be adjacent one edge of the sheaf of papers, as indicated at 20 in Figure 5, and the clip is now pushed through the folds of paper in which it is received, so that the end portion ll passes through the side of the sheaf remote from the intermediate portion l0 and the end of the clip at which the end of the intermediate portion and the end portion II are interconnected is brought against the adjacent edge of the sheaf of papers, as illustrated in Figure 6. Since the fold line I3 The arrangement of in Figure 7, and the adjacent edge of the sheaf I6 is inserted under the end portion 12 of the clip and the papers straightened, so that the clip end portion I 2 will be engaged over the adjacent edge of the sheaf substantially in opposition to the end ing substantiall straight longitudinal edges and end portions joined to said intermediate portion at the respectivelyropposite ends of the latter alon fold lines inclined in respectively opposite directions to the longitudinal edges of said intermediate portion, one of said end portions havportion H engaged over an edge of the sheaf at right angles to the edge engaged by the end por tion I2. The clip will now be locked onto the sheaf of papers, asis particularly illustrated in Figure-8, and will not be accidentally detached fromthe papers,- since itis enclosedin thefolds made at the corner of the sheaf of papers and cannot move longitudinally relative to these folds. Also, since all of the sheets of the sheaf of papers have beenfolded together nolsingle sheet can be pulled out of the clip and. the papers will be positively held together and in superposed relationshiptoeach other Y The invention may-be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, :to be considered in all respects as illustrative andflnot restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended'claimsrather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore. intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A paper clip comprising a strip of bendable material and including an intermediate portion and end portions joined to said intermediate portion at the respectively opposite ends of the 1 latter and superposed thereon, said clip having substantially straight and parallel side edges and said end portions being joined to said inter- V mediate portion along fold linesinclinedrin respectively opposite directions and at an angle of approximately 45degrees tothe straight edges of said intermediate portion and one of said end portions being materially longer than the other.

2. A paper clip comprising a member of elongatedrectangular shape in transverse cross section and including an intermediate portion having a length materially greater than the other end portion.

3. A paper clip comprisinga member of elongated rectangular shape transverse cross section including an intermediate portion having substantially straight longitudinal edges and end portions joined to said intermediate portion at the respectively opposite ends of the latter along fold lines inclined in respectively opposite directions to the longitudinal edges of said intermediate portion, one of said end portions havin substantially straight longitudinal edges and a distal end inclined relative to its longitudinal edges and the other of said end portions being triangular in shape and having a length longitudinally of said intermediate portion substantially eduafto the width of the latter; j l

4. A paper clip comprising a member of elongated rectangular shape in transverse cross section including an intermediate portion having substantially straight longitudinal edges and end portions joined to said'intermediate portion at the respectively opposite ends of the latter along fold lines inclined in respectively'opposite directions and at an angle of approximately 45 degrees tovthe longitudinal edges of said intermediate portion, one of'said end portions having substantially straight longitudinal edges and a distal end-inclined at an angle of approximately lfidegrees relative to its longitudinal edges and the other of said end portions being triangular in shape and having a length longitudinally of said intermediate portion substantially equal-to the width of the latter. j V I v r JOHN WJ HUGHES.

REFEREECES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V j

V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 23,322 Swartwout Man-22, 1859 437,037 McPike Sept. 23, 1890 795,391 Harper July 25, 1905 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain of 1910 

